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Mrs S was employed as a psychiatric nurse at the old psychiatric
unit of St James's Hospital in Leeds from about 1966 to 1973. She
had not been given any information or warnings about the asbestos present in the ancient building
and had no personal knowledge about this at the time she was
diagnosed as having mesothelioma in
November 2010. Mrs S was not in contact with any former colleagues
from St James's and the old building had been demolished.

A witness appeal in a local newspaper failed to produce any
witnesses to support Mrs S's claim. However, based on our
experience of the nature of the building and Mrs S's description of
how she was probably exposed to asbestos
there, we notified the claim to the relevant Health Authority.

Solicitors acting for the Health Authority obtained photographs
and plans of the unit together with other information. Whilst
investigating the presence of asbestos and exposure to it, they
initially denied that Mrs S had mesothelioma because she was
responding so well to treatment!

The claim was settled on a full liability basis by specialist
mesothelioma partner Caroline
Pinfold in October 2012. The compensation enabled Mrs
S to take her granddaughter on the holiday of a lifetime and other
activities that she had planned.